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Suspect was pictured in New Orleans before attack - what else do we know? New Orleans attacker wore Meta smart glasses - what else do we know?
(1 day later)
Officials say Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, carried out the attack killing 14 people Watch: Footage released by the FBI shows Jabbar cycling through the area of the attack while filming on smart glasses
New surveillance photos released by the FBI allegedly show the perpetrator of a deadly attack walking the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, before he drove a truck into a crowd, killing fourteen people. The perpetrator of a deadly New Year's Day attack in New Orleans visited the Louisiana city twice in the months before the attack and wore Meta smart glasses as he apparently scoped out the scene and during the incident itself, the FBI has said.
At least 35 more were injured after the man carried out an Islamic State (IS)-inspired attack in New Orleans' busy French Quarter during the early hours of New Year's Day. Shamsud-Din Jabbar also travelled to Egypt and Canada in 2023, though it is not yet clear if those trips were linked to the plot, said investigators.
Here's what we know so far about what happened and the perpetrator, who was killed in the incident. Fourteen people died and at least 35 more were injured as the driver of the pick-up truck targeted revellers in the French Quarter, in an attack that US officials say was inspired by the Islamic State (IS) group.
Here's what we know so far.
Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux (left), Nicole Perez (centre) and Martin Bech (right) were all killed in the attackNikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux (left), Nicole Perez (centre) and Martin Bech (right) were all killed in the attack
How did the attack unfold?How did the attack unfold?
At 03:15 local time on New Year's Day, a pick-up truck ploughed into crowds gathered on Bourbon Street - known globally as one of the largest places for New Year's Eve parties - in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter. At 03:15 local time on New Year's Day, Jabbar drove a pick-up truck through crowds gathered on Bourbon Street - known globally as one of the largest places for New Year's Eve parties - in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter.
CCTV footage shows a white Ford pickup truck racing onto the pavement to get around a police car before hitting pedestrians. The attacker then got out of the car and began firing at police officers, injuring two. He died following the gunfight with three responding officers, the FBI said. Wearing a ballistic vest and helmet, the former US Army soldier got out of the car and began firing at police officers, injuring two, investigators said.
Police described the act as "very intentional", adding that the assailant - identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar - was "hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did." He died following the gunfight with three responding officers, the FBI said.
Whit Davis, from Shreveport, Louisiana, told the BBC that he was held in a bar with a large group in the aftermath of the attack while police secured the scene.
When they left, they "were walking past dead and injured bodies all over the street", he said.
The FBI says the suspect had a cooler containing an improvised explosive deviceThe FBI says the suspect had a cooler containing an improvised explosive device
Law enforcement sources told ABC News that Jabbar placed explosive devices in the area before changing clothes and then carrying out the attack. The FBI released a photo that officials say shows a cooler containing an improvised explosive device (IED). A couple of hours before the attack, Jabbar placed two improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, in two coolers on Bourbon Street. A transmitter that was supposed to detonate the IEDs was found in his vehicle, the FBI said.
Officials have said it was not clear whether Jabbar ever tried to detonate two explosive devices that he brought in coolers before the vehicle attack or whether they malfunctioned. But the bombs did not go off because Jabbar did not have access to a detonator, said investigators.
Bomb-making materials were also found at a nearby Airbnb where Jabbar was staying and at his home in Houston, Texas.
He tried to burn down the Airbnb by setting a fire in a hallway, but the flames petered out before firefighters arrived.
The white Ford he was driving was electric and rented from the platform Turo six weeks beforehand.
'No-one deserves this': Victims' families seek answers'No-one deserves this': Victims' families seek answers
Who were the victims?Who were the victims?
Watch: How day of deadly attack unfoldedWatch: How day of deadly attack unfolded
Watch: What CCTV and social media videos reveal about New Orleans attackWatch: What CCTV and social media videos reveal about New Orleans attack
What we know about the suspect's travel
Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office, told a news conference on Sunday that the suspect in the attack had travelled to Cairo, Egypt, in the summer of 2023. A few days later he visited Ontario, Canada.
"Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here," Mr Myrthil said.
Jabbar also stayed at a rental home in New Orleans from 30 October last year for a few days and CCTV shows him riding through the French Quarter on a bicycle wearing "Meta glasses" that are capable of recording or livestreaming, said Mr Myrthil.
The perpetrator also visited New Orleans on 10 November, and investigators are still tracking his movements during that trip.
Jabbar also wore a pair of Meta smart glasses while carrying out the attack on New Year's Day, but he did not activate the livestream function, said officials. The glasses were found on him after his death.
Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar?Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar?
The FBI said Jabbar, 42, an Army veteran and US citizen born in Texas, as the attacker. The 42-year-old US Army veteran was brought up in Beaumont, a city in eastern Texas near the Louisiana border.
The vehicle he was driving during the attack was electric and rented from the platform Turo, known as an "Airbnb of cars". The company confirmed Wednesday, with a "heavy heart", that the vehicle was one of theirs. He was raised Muslim but left the religion for many years and only recently returned to his faith, his brother said.
During his drive from Houston to New Orleans, he posted videos online in which he professed his support for IS, authorities said. According to a now-removed LinkedIn profile, Jabbar worked in various roles in the US Army, including in human resources and IT, before he was discharged in 2015.
Jabbar was brought up in Beaumont, a city in eastern Texas near the Louisiana border. He was raised Muslim but left the religion for many years and only recently returned to his faith, his brother told the BBC's US partner, CBS News. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. His most recent address was in Houston.
"Then he came back into it, maybe just this time around, he was gonna take it a little more seriously," Abdur Rahem Jabbar told CBS.
According to a now-removed LinkedIn profile, Shamsud-Din Jabbar worked in various roles in the US Army, including in human resources and IT, before he was discharged in 2015. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. His most recent address was in Houston.
The suspect has been named as Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42The suspect has been named as Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42
He studied at Georgia State University from 2015 to 2017, graduating with a degree in computer information systems. He studied at Georgia State University from 2015-17, graduating with a degree in computer information systems.
Accountancy firm Deloitte confirmed that Jabbar was hired by the company in 2021 and he reportedly also worked for Ernst & Young.Accountancy firm Deloitte confirmed that Jabbar was hired by the company in 2021 and he reportedly also worked for Ernst & Young.
The suspect was married three times and has children from two relationships. His first marriage ended in 2012, and his second lasted from 2013 to 2016. He married once again in 2017 before divorcing in 2022. The suspect had been married three times and had children from two relationships. His first marriage ended in 2012, and his second lasted from 2013-16. He married once again in 2017 before divorcing in 2022.
Court records relating to Jabbar's most recent divorce point to financial difficulties – with his monthly expenses, including child support, exceeding his income.Court records relating to Jabbar's most recent divorce point to financial difficulties – with his monthly expenses, including child support, exceeding his income.
Separate documents reveal that his then-wife had accused him of financial mismanagement and had obtained a temporary restraining order against him.Separate documents reveal that his then-wife had accused him of financial mismanagement and had obtained a temporary restraining order against him.
Jabbar also appears to have worked in real estate – holding a licence that expired in 2023. He had a criminal record, relating to traffic offences and theft.Jabbar also appears to have worked in real estate – holding a licence that expired in 2023. He had a criminal record, relating to traffic offences and theft.
Jabbar's brother told local Houston news outlet KPRC, external that his family was shocked by the incident and that their hearts go out to the victims. His brother, Abdur Rahem Jabbar, told Houston news outlet KPRC, external that his family was shocked by the incident and that their hearts go out to the victims.
"We're all grieving about this," he said. "This wasn't the man I knew. This wasn't the father, the son, that I knew. And also, this isn't any representation of Islam, or Muslims or the Muslim community.""We're all grieving about this," he said. "This wasn't the man I knew. This wasn't the father, the son, that I knew. And also, this isn't any representation of Islam, or Muslims or the Muslim community."
Jabbar's brother also said he has spoken to the FBI and officials asked him how he would describe his brother and the type of person he was. He told them he did not pick up any hints that his brother might commit a terror attack.
What do we know about the possible motive?What do we know about the possible motive?
The authorities had been investigating whether Jabbar had accomplices, but later clarified that they were confident he acted alone. During his drive from Houston to New Orleans, Jabbar posted videos online in which he professed his support for IS, authorities said.
FBI deputy assistant director Christopher Raia said officials had recovered three mobile phones and two laptops that belonged to Jabbar, which were being examined by FBI specialists. In one of the clips Jabbar said he initially intended to harm his family, but decided against it, believing it would not have illustrated the "war between the believers and the disbelievers".
President Joe Biden said he had been briefed by the FBI and that the suspect uploaded videos to social media "mere hours before the attack". Jabbar said in the videos that he joined IS before the summer and offered a will and testament, FBI deputy assistant director Christopher Raia said.
In one of the videos Jabbar posted on the drive, he said he initially intended to harm his family, but decided against it, believing it would not have illustrated the "war between the believers and the disbelievers". But the FBI said it believed Jabbar had acted alone.
Jabbar said in the videos that he joined IS before the summer and offered a will and testament, Mr Raia said. "We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the US and outside of our borders," said Mr Raia.
Investigators also are looking at whether the attack in New Orleans is linked to the explosion of a vehicle outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, which killed the car's driver and injured seven others. Investigators have so far ruled out any connection between the New Orleans attack and an explosion of a vehicle the same morning outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, which killed the car's driver and injured seven others.
Biden said "they have not found any evidence of such a connection" between the incidents. What security measures have been put in place?
Where did the attack happen? Since the attack, police have used vehicles and barricades to block traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets, a well-known nightlife and tourist hotspot that is filled with restaurants, bars and clubs with live music.
Bourbon Street is a well-known nightlife and tourist hotspot that is filled with restaurants, bars and clubs with live music. President Joe Biden is planning to travel to New Orleans with First Lady Jill Biden on Monday to "grieve with the families and community members impacted by the tragic attack".
It is within New Orleans' French Quarter, a lively area that attracts tourists and locals, especially to celebrate New Year. The first parade of the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras is due to take place on Monday evening.
It was established by the French – who colonised the state of Louisiana before the founding of the US – in 1718. The original grid of streets designed back then is at the heart of what draws visitors to the city. New Orleans will also host the Super Bowl on 9 February.
Every year, upwards of a million people flock to its famous Mardi Gras carnival and parade in the spring, famous for the strings of colourful beads worn by partygoers. The city previously installed retractable steel bollards to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street, but the posts stopped working after being littered with Mardi Gras beads and other refuse.
The city's famous jazz music paused on Thursday afternoon at the rescheduled Sugar Bowl football game. The tens of thousands of fans in the stadium for the annual university game held a moment of silence for the victims before kick-off. The bollards were not in position on New Year's Eve, but will be replaced ahead of the Super Bowl, officials said.